


Forcing Fate's hand

by WeLoveLightning



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional Tether(s), Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Mother-Son Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Canon, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeLoveLightning/pseuds/WeLoveLightning
Summary: A story detailing the Master/Student relationship between those of the Dark and Light Side of the Force
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. The jedi master, Celsa Vontas, is sent to the planet of Ozkul to meet with the parents of a recently discovered Force-sensitive child. The parents are apprehensive at first, mentioning the tales of the gruesome battles between the Jedi and Sith. They fear their child will turn into a soldier. 

Master Celsa assures no harm will befall their child; that the Jedi are protectors of the Force, not warriors. She appeals to the love the parents hold for their child. They are surprised. Rumors have often said that the Jedi are incapable of feeling emotions. This was not the case. A Jedi can feel. A Jedi can love. Grief. Laugh. All of the sorts. But a Jedi cannot be driven by these emotions, nor tied down by them, for they can lead to the Dark-side.

The father agreed to give Master Celsa his son, believing that maybe it was best for his son in the end. The mother was reluctant. She did not wish to give up her child like he was some livestock. She carried him. She birthed him. She nursed him. Now, she was supposed to lose him?

This was the hardest part of being a Jedi. Not the training or the countless hours of meditation through the Force. Separating a parent from their child, knowing they will see each other again. The father consoles his wife, with tears in his eyes, convincing her that their son will be safer among the Jedi. Among those who are similar to him. Among those who understand the Force. The mother comes to terms and agrees eventually.

Master Celsa sensing the pain in their heart, gives them one last time together before departing. The mother kisses and hugs her son, declaring how much she will always love him. The father simply wraps a necklace around him, telling his son to always treasure this necklace. Master Celsa and the son leave Ozkul and head for the planet of the Jedi Order, Coruscant.

The boy’s name was Jazza Khol. This is his story.

\-----

On the other side of this vast galaxy, a great evil senses a disturbance in the Force on the planet Roxil. The Sith Lord, Darth Assul, makes his way to this far off sector, outside the reach of the Republic. He follows the call of the Force until it leads him to a small village of Zabraks. This group of Zabraks were different from the ones known throughout the galaxy. These… were peaceful.

Assul could not sense any “real” emotions from them. No anger. No desire. No fear. These people were weak, and yet, one of them was strong in the Force. He used the Force to find the child. He came to a small hut.

He enters, unwarranted and unwanted. His eyes became fixated on the child, a newborn wrapped in its balance. The father approaches Assul, threatening and demanding for him to lie. Assul sensed not a threat, but a nuisance.

Assul uses the Force, lifting the father, choking him. He tells them that he will leave with their child, and if necessary, their lives as well. The mother’s echoed throughout the village, rousing all within. Assul snared, clutching his hand as he finished choking the life out of the father.

The father’s corpse falls near the mother. His cold dead eyes terrified her and pleases Assul. Assul walks towards the mother. She tries to retreat but she is trapped between death and a wall. Assul demands for the child once more, igniting the blood red lightsaber of the Sith.

He lifted the newborn from the mother’s grasp using the Force, and in turn, he thrust his lightsaber into the woman. She falls, lying on top of her husband. Once again, they are together, for now and for eternity. He lowers the newborn into his arms, and he looks at it, discovering that it is a girl. She is sleeping soundly, even among all the screams she still sleeps peacefully.

Voices come from outside of the hut. More nuisances must be dealt with. Assul places the baby into her crib nearby, and proceeds outside. He senses the fear among them. It was an intoxicating feeling to experience. It gave power to those with the Dark Side. The Jedi shunned this feeling of power, and in turn, choosing the Light-side, embracing their cowardice. They embraced their feelings of nothing. A Sith longed for this desire. A Sith killed for this moment, and Assul always cherished this.

The few young male Zabraks stood across from him, armed with makeshift weapons. Mere farming tools. Assul scoffed by this disgusting display. He unignited his lightsaber, for there was no enjoyment in quick slaughter. The Force was enough. The Force will always more than enough,

Assul channeled the Force, tossing the men back. Assul looks right at three large wooden poles in the ground. He uses the Force, uprooting all three at once. The poles splintered into smaller pieces of shrapnel. The pieces flew, cutting through the Zabrak men like laser blasts. Their screams filled the starry night sky with a haunting melody. Assul searched around for any more nuisances. None were seen. The rest stayed hollowed in their hut like rats.

Assul went back into the hut to retrieve the child. There she laid soundly asleep. Even after the screams and cries of suffering, she remained undisturbed. Assul took the child to train her in the ways of Sith like his master before him. There was one thing Darth Assul remembers fondly on that day: the haunting silence after the screams had died.

The girl’s name was Sairento Tacet. This is her story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not have the story fully plotted out so it will be a while before the next chapter (Chapter 1 will probably be done in a month). I just decided that I had to get the prologue done.


	2. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jazza and Sairento learn of their families and they embrace the Codes.

On the planet of Coruscant in the Jedi Temple, Jazza Khol undergoes his training as a Youngling. However, the Youngling has been in a slump as of late, troubled and unfocused during his lessons. He has sought the counsel of Master Celsa, for guidance.

Master Celsa takes young Jazza to the Gardens of Harmony. There they mediate among various species of flora; all sensitive to the Force. But none of the flora in the surrounding area has bloomed.

“Youngling Jazza, I sense that you are troubled. Has training been too strenuous?” Celsa said as she channels the Force mid-mediation, floating in place.

“No, Master Vontas, the training’s been going fine. It’s just…” Jazza hesitated. Uncertainty and fear were growing on him like vines among ruins. 

Celsa could feel the clouds in his heart bear down the boy’s soul. “I cannot help with what I do not know, Jazza,” the Master remarked.

“It’s just… I have thoughts of my family.”

“Oh,” Celsa said. Even though Jedi have been taken into the Order at very young ages, it was not uncommon for them to have a desire for family, especially at Jazza’s age. It was almost hypocritical, but the Jedi would establish themselves as the Younglings’ family. In the Order where attachments were shunned, it was here where these children found a home.

“I know that they gave me up when I was young- “Jazza continued.

“They did not give you up willingly,” Celsa interrupted, stopping Jazza.

“But they gave me up, didn’t they?” Jazza asked. His voice was breaking. Master Vontas could his emotion conflicting with the voice. Still, she did not worry nor was she broken from her meditative state.

“Look down at your chest. See that necklace?” Jazza looked down, observing the necklace that has been with him for as long as he could remember. Jazza did not deem it to be anything special for Master Vontas to point out.

Celsa continued, “That was gifted to you by your father and mother on the day I had retrieved you.”

Jazza’s eyes widen at the two revelations heard. Jazza did not know that Master Vontas was the one that brought him to the Jedi Order, and he did not know that this necklace was a gift from his parents.

Jazza clutched the necklace, smiling. “Is it?” he asked. 

Celsa nodded, “Yes, it is a treasure given to you. Your parents did not want to give you to the Order, initially, but they understood that you would be safer in our care. Their burden was heavy, but they did it out of love for you. They did not throw you away.”

In the chambers of Jazza’s heart, a weight is lifted. Clouds disperse. Answers heard. Master Vontas could feel the boy’s soul at peace. In this moment, Master Vontas sees an opportunity to strengthen the boy’s connection to the Force.

“Jazza, do you know the Jedi Code?” Celsa asked.

“Code?” the boy repeated, confused but curious. “I didn’t know the Jedi had an oath.”

Celsa smiled, “It is more of a philosophy rather than an oath. I want to close your eyes, relax, and repeat after me. Try to channel the Force as you speak.” Jazza followed orders, calming himself.

_ “There is no emotion, there is peace.” _

“There is no emotion, there is peace.”

_ “There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.” _

“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.”

_ “There is no passion, there is serenity.” _

“There is no passion, there is serenity.”

_ “There is no chaos, there is harmony.” _

“There is no chaos, there is harmony.”

_ “There is no death, there is the Force.” _

“There is no death, there is the Force.”

Jazza opened his eyes. He saw himself floating, just as Master Celsa was.

“Whenever you are troubled, Young Jazza, remember this code. It will guide you whenever you are conflicted. Now, you may leave, Youngling. I look forward to hearing about your progress in training.”

“Thank you, Master,” the boy said, running off. The clarity in his heart was pure; Celsa could sense that. Master Vontas stayed in the gardens, observing the flora that bloomed in response to Jazza’s channeling of the Force. It was a beautiful sight given birth by a gentle soul.

\-----

On the planet of Korriban in the Sith Academy, Sairento approaches her father, Darth Assul, in search of questions of her origin. The nature of how she was placed in the care of Assul was a mystery to her. When she would ask her father, he would tell him that the story would trouble her; that she was not strong enough.

“Father!” Sairento yelled, standing at the door to Darth Assul’s chamber. Three knocks on the door echoed throughout the hollow halls. She never felt at ease in the academy. The vast – and empty – halls terrified Sairento. Even knowing that her father was there, she still felt alone and isolated. “Father!”

The door opened. Darth Assul stepped through, donning the charred black robe of the Sith and the Mandalorian helmet of his people. Sairento hated that helmet. She had never seen his face. She could never tell what he thought of her. 

“Yes, my little one,” Assul asked, kneeling. Standing within eye level of Sairento. “What is it?”

“I am curious, Father. I am curious about how you ended up with you, and… and what happened with my birth parents.”

Darth Assul remained silent. His face concealed and his thought were clouded. The only thing Sairento heard was an elongated sigh. Sairento had believed this to be a failed attempt, but Assul had placed a hand on her face, caressing her cheek.

“Alright,” he said gently, “come in and I shall tell you. I wanted to wait until you were older, but the best time may be now.”

Assul went into his chamber and Sairento followed. Sairento rested upon his bed, taking a place on her father’s side. It was where she felt safest. Never felt safe by herself.

It was the next moment that shocked Sairento. Her father, Darth Assul, removed his helmet, placing it on Sairento’s lap. She stared at the helmet in disbelief, then at the true face of her father. This was the first time she had seen her face. Sairento saw something she never could imagine. She saw grief and pain from her father. The strongest person she had known.

“Sairento,” Assul said, “your parents, Syx and Avadel, were good friends to me. They helped me when I was at a moment of weakness. They cared for me. Nurse me. Healed me. They were like another family.

“I had gone to visit your parents to see their newborn daughter.” Sairento’s eyes started to tear up. Her breathing became ragged.

Assul continued. “But when I got there, the village was in flame. Bounty hunters had attacked their village,” Assul said; a snarl formed. His words almost sounded like a growl from Rancor. Unhinged and feral.

“I ran to your parents’ hut, but I was too late. I saw their bodies together on the floor as I entered. One of the bounty hunters had you in their grasp. It seems that they were hired to find you.”

“Who would do such a thing?” Sairento asked. Tears streaming down her face. The rage inside her erupted; her emotions were in turmoil. Fighting for an outlet.

“The Jedi. They sensed your presence in the Force, and they wanted to bring you into their cult. I rescued you, after killing the bounty hunters.” Assul’s anger was volatile. Objects shook and fell due to Assul’s use of the Force. But it was Sairento’s emotional outburst that caused the building’s foundation to rumble.

“I hate them!” Sairento screamed, “I hate them, Father. The Jedi took them from me.”

“Do you wish for revenge?” he asked.

Sairento nodded. Assul wrapped his arms around Sairento, hugging her. “Good,” he said, “Never forget this pain. It will give you strength.”

Assul contemplated for a moment. He could sense the fire with Sairento. He felt her anger. Her hatred. Her fear. There was a monster in her. Sickening and terrifying, but it was caged. Fighting for its freedom. Waiting for its chance to be released. It only needed a catalyst.

“Tell me, little one, do you remember the code? The Sith Code?”

Sairento cleaned the tears from her eyes, gazing at her father’s eyes of burning hatred. She nodded in response.

“Say it to me, but I want all of your emotions to be felt with each utterance. With cadence, I want to feel your anger. Your misery. Now, say it.”

“Peace is a lie, there is only passion.”

Sairento closed her eyes. As she closed, darkness enveloped her. She could feel them. The screams from her village. The cries of her mother. The gasping of her father. Every moment of agony echoed clearly in her head, haunting her. Breaking through and tearing at her inner being.

“Through passion, I gain strength.

Through strength, I gain power.

Through power, I gain victory.

Through victory, my chains are broken.

THE FORCE SHALL FREE ME!”

Sairento opened her eyes as the Force erupted from within her. The shockwave blew out the windows and tore down the door. Flames extinguished and the outside storm halted.

Assul looked at her, smiling. The Force was strong with her. She had the strength he sought for a lifelong time. Her strength would be his, through one way or another.

Sairento broke down. The pain within her was unbearable, even for an adult. Assul hugged her once again, wrapping her in his robe.

“I hate them, Father, I hate the Jedi,” Sairento said, repeating the words like a curse upon the Jedi.

Assul closed his eyes. “Yes, my child, embrace this hatred. For it is the proof that you are alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I went ahead and finished plotting the rest of the story. Meaning I can start get started on new chapters quicker than expected. I will also post character bio's for the notes so you can learn more about the characters.


	3. The Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A perspective of the Force through the eyes of the Jedi and the Sith

_The Force. A powerful and mystique entity that flows within every living being near and far. In the darkness contains a light, and in the light a haunting darkness._

_The Jedi are a group that functions not against the nature of the Force, but the nature of themselves that exist within the Force._

_-_ Master Aull Redis

Jazza has read this scripture countless times. Mediating on these words, contemplating the meaning of every letter. Yet he finds himself struggling to understand the Force in its entirety.

Jazza searches for Master Vontas in need of console; the Youngling found great comfort in the presence of Master Vontas, though the Council has voiced their concerns about the matter. Celsa did not mind the boy as Jazza was diligent and studious towards his training, extremely so towards understanding the Force.

Master Vontas decides to take Jazza on a tour around the Jedi Temple.

“What are we doing, Master?” Jazza asked, finally speaking after being unable to decipher Celsa’s intent.

“Walking,” Celsa said calmly, “All we shall do is walk and talk. So, young Jazza, what is your question?”

Jazza replied instantly, “What is the Force?”

“An interesting question,” Celsa smiled. “What do you think it is?”

Jazza shrugged his shoulder, not sparing a thought to ponder the question. “I don’t know. Every time I think I have an answer, it changes. That scripture doesn’t help either.”

“Oh,” Celsa waved, greeting the passing Younglings at play. She always did, Jazza had noticed. Her eyes were always facing forward, never looked back at what was behind her. He had overheard the other Jedi stating Master Vontas’s connection with the Light side was impeccable.

“Jazza, imagine a river.”

Jazza tilted his head, glancing at the Jedi Master. “So, the Force is like a river?”

Celsa smiled, “Some may perceive the Force as many things. I chose to see it as a river.”

“Why?”

“To be one with the Force is akin to a fish swimming in a stream, young Jazza. Swim with the current and it will guide you down a path most necessary, but swim in its opposition and you will be met with tragedy.

“Yes, you may be able to oppose the flow for a moment’s time, but in the end, you will destroy yourself due to hubris and self-destruction.”

Jazza looked at the setting sun, visualizing that river Master Vontas spoke of. He imagined the fishes that swam up stream, graceful and peace. Then he saw the fishes choose to head up river. He saw how they fought, flailing and wild, and he saw how they collapsed under the stress they brought onto themselves. They fade to the depth, never seen or heard from again.

“I think I get it,” Jazza said, “Swimming with the current is the Light Side, and to go upstream is the Dark side… right?”

Master Vontas looked at Jazza with caring eyes, so caring that one would equate her gaze to that of a proud mother. That was a gift from Celsa's gift. To care but not so much that she would form an attachment.

“Very good, Jazza,” she said.

“But, Master, why do some go to the Dark side in oppose to the Light?”

“That is a good question, Jazza. Often asked, and yet there is no true answer. My belief is that the Dark side is a call to what one has lost, but cannot let go. A lover, a friend, a home.

“They find themselves unable to live without that precious object, fearing what they would be without it. They would believe themselves to be weak and powerless.

“Soon, they will walk a path so blinding that they will forget what their reason for going into the darkness once was. Then, the Dark side will consume them. The Dark side will always consume them.”

Jazza could feel the sweat drip down his face. He has never seen or heard Master Celsa behave so intensely. Her words were cold and harsh, but true nonetheless. Jazza has heard of Jedi failing to the Dark side after the loss of a Padawan or a Master. Jazza wonders if he would be able to deal with the loss of his future Master or a Padawan of his own.

The Dark side is always around those powerful in the Force like a shadow casted by the Sun.

“I think I understand. At least, a bit clearer than before,” he said. “There is one thing else I have to ask.”

“Ask away.”

“Where are we going?” Jazza had noticed that they had entered the main hall of the temple.

Celsa chuckled, “We, Jazza, are going to get food.”

\-----

In the Sith Citadel in the Chamber of Remembrance, Darth Assul has placed Sairento under a test. Three Sith artifacts surrounded her. The Force radiated strongly from each object. Sairento needed to attune herself with the Dark side of the Force to activate the Sith artifacts.

Darth Assul stalked from the shadows, circling around like a predator. Whenever Sairento’s connection to the Dark Side waver, Darth Assul provoked her.

“Why do you waver, child?” Assul said. His tone was sharp and robotic when he donned his Mandalorian helmet. Sairento could sense the rage within him whenever the helmet was worn. “Why do you resist the Dark side?”

“It scares me, Father.” Sairento listened carefully, tracking the sound of Darth Assul’s footstep. The blindfold she wore didn’t allow a ray of light to pierce through its cloth. “Whenever I tried to channel the Dark side, I get scare.”

“Why?”

Sairento could no longer track the sound of his footsteps. Sairento, occupied with trying to locate her father, had forgotten to respond. The silence stood for a moment. Within that moment, the voices returned. The visions of a past she did not haunted and the vision of a future, one where she held her dying father in her arms.

“Father?” she called out.

She could not tell her father about the visions. These visions scared her.

“Why do you fear the Dark side, Sairento? Answer me.” Assul’s voice echoed through the chamber. Sairento could no longer pinpoint where her father was. “Do you wish not to avenge your parents?”

“I do but– “

“Was that anger you felt on that night hollow?” His voice’s echo began to carry.

“No…”

“Then channel those feelings to unlock the Dark side. The Jedi seek to void those emotions, believing that we are meant to be without them. That makes them less than human in my eyes.

“They believe the Dark side to be a weakness. Love, family, friends are burdens in the eyes of the Jedi. That is why they sought to rid you of your parents that night.” The screams of her mother rung in the back of her head, like a ghostly wail.

Assul continued, “They refuse what gives life its meaning, but not the Sith. Not the Dark Side. The Dark side exists because of those emotions. Our need for them gives us power. It gives us a drive to grasp for what we longed for. Does that make us evil, Sairento?”

“No… it makes who we are. We seek comfort in those love.” Sairento could feel the Force within her surge like a gas fire. It fed on her fear, on her pain and guilt. She remembers what she had lost, and what she had left to lose. Her parents died because of her, and she was too weak and too young to protect them. But she could him, Darth Assul, her father.

He raised her, cherished her, and loved her. His words spoken harshly were caring. He sought to grant her wish, to give her the strength to protect what she loved and cherished.

Sairento heard three distinct humming noises. One was chaotic bass, drumming like thunder from afar. Another sounded almost human, like a primal chant, vicious but melodic. The last one had the airy sounds of a windpipe; a haunting tune that struck at the heart.

“What is that noise?” Sairento asked. The three noises were intolerable in unison, a maddening song played. Maddening and terrible.

Assul removed Sairento’s blindfold. The artifacts no longer surrounded her, but hovered in front of Sairento. The shape of each artifact had changed; their figure had become twisted and distorted, incomprehensible to the human eye. The humming. The maddening song. It came from these… these twists things of darkness.

“What happened to the artifacts?” Sairento asked.

“You happened, Sairento.” Sairento turned towards Darth Assul, towering over her like a great giant. He did not look at her; his eyes were fixed forward on the artifacts. Sairento could tell where his gaze was focused on even with the helmet on.

Assul continued, “Your anger towards the ones who have wronged, the scream of your parents calls to you, and your fear have manifested in front of you. Making a song that only you can hear.”

The song intensified. Sairento could not stand the noise, but she could not get rid of it. “Father, can you not really hear it?” she asked, covering her ears. Still, the song continued, becoming more distorted as her anger towards the noises rose.

Assul kneeled beside Sairento, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. In his cold sharp voice, he said, “No. This song is yours only. It is a gift from the Force. Embrace it and cherish it. For it will never leave you. Whenever you feel that you are close to losing all that you care for, this song will play, comforting you. This is the Dark side, my child. Embrace the melody brought before you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Bio:  
> Female, Jedi - Twi’lek. Master Celsa is an observant and guiding Jedi Master to those around her. Her wisdom and compassion makes her one of the most respected Jedi in the Republic. She often provides guidance to Jazza Khol when he seeks her counsel. Prominent user of Form II (Makashi) and VI (Niman).


	4. The Nature of the Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jazza Khol and Sairento Tacet both witness the nature of the Force.

On the edge between the Outer Rim and the Wild Space, where law and order are merely ideals of a neglectful Republic. Darth Assul has brought his Sith Apprentice, Sairento Tacet, to the outlaw planet of Zydea. The planet’s history is one of endless war and bloodshed. There is a saying among the planet’s inhabitants: A day on Zydea without death marks the end of the universe.

“Father, what ar—” Sairento began to say before she remembered the rule placed on her now. “Master, what are we doing on this planet? I can barely sense any life here.” Sairento could not address Darth Assul as Father, at least not in public.

Sairento shadowed behind him, veiling her face from the dry wind. This was her first trial as an apprentice yet she did not know what her trial would consist of. All they did. All they did was walk through a ruined city. 

Death haunted this ruin. The Force was almost non-existent here. If you breathed deeply enough, you still smell the rot of flesh burned by lasers. This planet was not a part of the Force. It was a poison to it.

“Focus, my apprentice,” Assul commanded. Sairento could sense an anger unforeseen from Darth Assul. As her connection to the Dark Side grew so did her understanding of the Force.

“Stop!” A laser blast landed near the edge of Darth Assul’s feet. A group of bandits – a mix-up of different species – surrounded them. Ten, maybe eleven, bodies could be sensed within the flow of the Force. “What are Jedi doing?” 

“Sairento,” Darth Assul said, looking back at her. “This is your trial. You must solve this conflict using the Force.”

Sairento stood in silence, shaken. The anger and fear coming from the bandits left Sairento uneasy. She could not trust them, and they did not trust her. Their fear was unreasonable; this is the first time she has ever met them and they deemed her to be an enemy.”

“I asked you a question, Jedi!” the man with a laser rifle demanded. Sairento assumed that one to be the leader of the bunch. Sairento moved forward slowly; move too fast and the bandits would likely attack out fear.

“We are not Jedi!” Sairento said, holding her hands above her head. Assul followed suit disgusted, likely disappointed in her as well. Yet he voiced no objections, he stayed silent in the end.

She continued, “You mistake us. For we are not Jedi.”

“Liar! We know those clothes. You are dressed the same as those Republic dogs,” the leader remarked. Sairento grew sick of the fear brewing within them. She began to wonder why did she comply with these lesser creatures. These weaklings.

“No, my master and I are just trying to get through here peacefully.” Her words sharpen, carrying a bitter edge in her voice. Her eyes narrowed as the bandits began to raise their blasters in response.

“Peacefully? Everyone knows that there is nothing peaceful about the Jedi. Using that strange magic of yours, breaking the minds of people to do your bidding. You’re not welcome here, so go.”

Sairento closed her eyes, taking a swift breath. The Force showed her what is to happen in that moment. Her master and her standing over the bodies of these wretched creatures. This was how it was meant to end, and Sairento accepted it.

“No.”

Sairento used the Force, arming herself with her dual lightsabers. She rushed towards them, bracing to reflect incoming lasers. One by one each bandit’s blaster was forcefully ripped from their grip. She knew that his was Darth Assul’s doing yet he remained in that single spot. He said this was her trial, and he meant it. Peace was never an option to these people. Now, Sairento would demonstrate the consequences of their decision.

Sairento sliced through their leader. The fear of these bandits was their undoing. It made them weak and cowards, but it also gave Sairento a sense of strength. The song returned. Her song.

Sairento launched at the remaining blaster skyward. Apparently, they had more concern for their blasters than for their own safety. Sairento drove her lightsabers in the two nearest bandits. She could sense the anger emanating from the others. They hated her and her father already so what did it matter? Now, she will just justify that hatred.

She pushed four of the remaining bandits, slamming them against a steel wall. Seven down, three remained. So fragile these creatures were. Fragile and foolish. Their hatred for the Jedi doomed them when they should have cowered in fear, letting them pass.

The last three still fought back. Was it resolve, or were they simply blinded by fury after watching their comrades fall? A stream of laser blasts aimed at Sairento.

“You should have ran when you had the chance,” Sairento yelled. Her rage was seething, her connection to the Force powered by the maddening song in her head. Two of the lasers reflected back at the bandits. Mortally wounding two of the last bandits. They drop, laying before the feet of the last survivor.

The last bandit dropped to their knees, begging for their life. Sairento retracted her lightsabers, concealing them within her black robe. There was no reason for her to kill a creature, beaten and broken.

“You have done well, my apprentice,” Darth Assul said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Sairento did not notice him approaching. He stepped forward, standing before the frightened bandit. To the bandit looking up, Darth Assul – dressed in his black robe and Mandalorian helm – must have appeared to be a harbinger of death. Maybe, Sairento did as well.

“Well?” she questioned, “I fail to resolve this conflict using the Force. All I did was kill a few bandits.”

“There is where you are mistaken.” Darth Assul lifted the bandit, using the Force, choking the air of them. “The Force, itself, is conflict. The Force is a war of oneself. The Jedi speaks of balance and peace throughout the universe, but they are fools. The Force is forever in balance as long as there is a conflict. It has taught me this.

“The Force is the greatest master I shall ever have. It teaches me day after day. It teaches me about the galaxy. It teaches me things about myself. It teaches me that I am still weak and ignorant, and that my lessons are not complete. I may have been born weak but I will not die a weakling.”

The bandit fell. The Force extinguished from their body yet the look of fear remained. It remained on all of their faces. Every last one.

“Now, my little one, let us make way back to Korriban. Your training here is done.”

Sairento smiled, “Yes, Father.”

\-----

It was a tradition. A lesson among the Jedi when presented available. Master Vontas has taken her Padawan, Jazza Khol, to the edge of the galaxy to witness the death of a planet. The planet was named Gobria. If the archives were accurate, it was one of the oldest planets in the Republic registry.

“Master, where are we here?” Jazza asked as Gobria’s fissions emitted a radiant light.

“To witness the Force in its entirety,” Master Vontas responded. 

“But it’s just a dying planet. All things die in the end.”

Master Vontas nodded, “That is true. All that live must die for it is the nature of the Force. Yet…”

“Yet?” Jazza repeated. Jazza had come to understand that Master Celsa had an obscure but insightful way of teaching him. But it was her obscure ways that helped him understand the ways of the Force better than his fellow Padawans.

“And yet, death is a catalyst that drives people to the Dark Side. Why is that, Jazza?”

Jazza pondered the question. There were many answers that were suitable, but which one was true in all facets. He reflected on all the lessons he received, the counsel he was given, and all the stories of fallen Jedi. There it was.

“No matter how or why; death is an end all fear. To lose one’s life or to witness the loss of a life is a matter that is hard to accept.”

“Yes,” Master Celsa said softly. “Continue…”

“It is hard to accept death because it is the end of the end. Once a life is over, its soul returns to the Cosmic Force. For it is the Cosmic Force where we all originated. Still, no one wants to die, not while life is worth living.”

The surface of Gobria began to come apart. The fracturing of a planet, voided of life in all forms. The sounds of its breaking crust wailed into the black abyss of space. The essence of the Force leaked from within the core of the planet.

Jazza stared as one of the oldest living planets collapsed in on itself. There was no planet. There was no more Gobria. A wave of regret washed over him. He found himself wishing he had learned of the planet sooner, wanting to see what had looked like on the surface. What animals looked there. What the people and cultures did before they were forced to evacuate.

This was what made death such a powerful catalyst for the Dark Side. The regret and guilt believing that you did not know something well enough in the time you knew it at all. 

“Jazza,” Celsa said, breaking the silence. To Jazza, this moment of silence felt like an eternity. Maybe, it was an eternity for the planet Gobria. “Death stirs many emotions within us. Sadness, anger, despair. All are natural and yet unnatural. Life and Death. Good and Evil. Jedi and Sith. All of these exist within the flow of the Force. 

“There will be a day where I must return to the Force. I want you to promise me that you will destroy yourself over my death.” Master Celsa looked at Jazza; her face matched the concern she voiced to her Padawan.

“I promise,” Jazza said, but the words were a struggle to say clearly. His master will die one day he knew that. He did not wish to accept, but he understood the necessity of accepting. “I promise that I will not destroy myself. I shall cherish the time I have left with my master. So, that I may be grateful for knowing her in the first place.”

Master Vontas and Jazza both smiled. Theirs were a smile of bitter acceptance of the future that awaits them. It was a future that awaits all of them. Jedi. Sith. Even the stars that burn relentlessly. There was nothing to be done, but live true and honest to oneself.

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Bio: Darth Assul  
> Male, Sith- human (Mandalorian tribe) Darth Assul is a cruel and manipulative being. Driven by conflict and fear, he sees to gain power to lead the galaxy to war like never seen before. He had told Sairento that she had rescued her after her parents had died after being hunted by bounty hunters. Prominent user of VII (Juyo).


	5. Battle Scars

In this galaxy, celestial oddities are commonplace. The reporting of planets – not on the galactic topography – seen in the dead of space. Wormholes and rifts in the fabric of space appearing on the edge of the Wild Space. However, that does not mean these sightings are complete fiction, or a smuggler’s tale.

Take the planet of Jotoi for example. Jotoi exists on the very edge of the Outer Rim. Its existence is known yet unknown. If one was to search the archives charting all of the Republic, Jotoi would be acknowledged even in the oldest of mappings. So, what makes this planet a ghost to all living beings in the galaxy?

The answer lies within the name itself. Jotoi is a Sith name based on an ancient Dark Lord of the Dark Side, Jo’toi Doomaall. Like the Sith Lord, the eponymous planet is an embodiment of Dark Side energy. Within the jungle biome, the native inhabitants of Jotoi go by another name befitting their relationship to the Dark Side, the Nightmyres. The Nightmyres are a wretched group; hostile to outsiders and physical corruption of the Force. No one would seek to lay foot on Jotoi. Well, except for the Dark Lord, Darth Assul, and his apprentice, Sairento Tacet.

Assul has brought Sairento to vile land as a test. A “trial by fire” is a more appropriate choice of words truthfully. For as strong as Sairento is currently, she is not as strong as her father desires her to be. But Darth Assul sees the opportunity for growth as all steel is forged in flames.

“Master! We should get off this blasted rock,” Sairento called to Assul as he emits Force Lightning, frying the skin of surrounding Nightmyres. A haunting tune played the instant the two Sith stepped foot on the planet. A song far more chaotic than the one of Sairento’s own heart. It resurrected a feeling that Sairento thought she had buried long ago. Fear.

“Master, these Nightmyres, or whatever, keep attacking. They just won’t stop.” Sairento dodges a horizontal slash, cutting the torso of a Nightmyre as retreat. Only three Nightmyres had engaged her, initially, but now she saw four and could sense six more surrounding her. “Master!”

Darth Assul, on the other hand, was fighting against two Nightmyres. These two had a burlier build than the ones Sairento were fighting. “Enough,” Assul yelled, unveiling his lightsaber, “I did not raise you to cower before weaklings!”

“Weakling?” Sairento questioned. She parried five slashes. Luckily, the Nightmyres were not trained in saber combat, relying on Force-enhanced strength and speeds. Were their attacks sloppy? Yes, incredibly so, but they were relentless. For every Nightmyre Sairento had taken down, another emerged from the abysmal depths of the rainforest.

“Master, how are they weak? No weakling would try so hard to kill us.”

For the first time in her life, Sairento saw her father’s power. Darth Assul pushed back the two Nightmyres, using powerful continuous swipes and slashes. Each attack seemed as if it increased in power. Darth Assul focused one of the Nightmyre, his saber rapidly came down onto its guard like lightning.

The Nightmyre extended his guard overhead, giving Assul a chance to rend loose its head and forearms with a swift strike. Assul turned to the other Nightmyre, pointing his lightsaber at it while it mourned the death of its comrade. The anger in it erupted like the fires from a sun.

The Nightmyre rushed the dark lord recklessly. It evaded Assul’s horizontal thrust, jumping over the dark lord. Sadly, this was what the dark lord had intended. Assul pulled the head of the dead Nightmyre forward, causing the other to lose its balance upon landing.

“Yes, they are weak,” Darth Assul said, planting his foot on the Nightmyre’s chest. “Being of the Dark Side they made be, but powerful they are not. Looks as if they swarm you like a pack of scavengers. They assume you to be the weaker of us. Easy to cut down”

More Nightmyres gathered surrounded Sairento. Up to at least twelve now. “How am I supposed to stop them?” Sairento said, pushing back five Nightmyres.

Darth Assul raised his lightsaber, “Do as I have taught you.” His lightsaber descended, burying halfway through the Nightmyre’s skull. “Show them the true power of the Dark Side or else, you’ll die. Just like your birth parents.”

Sairento squeezed the handles of her lightsabers, clenching her teeth. The dark lord’s words stung at her core, but they were true. She was just like the Nightmyres. Weak. Not physically, but mentally.

The screams of the past resurfaced, taunting her. The drumming. Oh, the drumming empowered her, fueled the raging tempest within her heart. The whistles within the wind killed the fear that tugged at her, holding her back. The fear poisoned her, weakening her with visions of what could happen and not what will happen. Death, failure, defeat. All outcomes that could be changed by the single swing of a saber.

A Nightmyre jumped at her from behind. Sairento did not dodged, but instead, used the Force to pull it forward, cleaving it in two with a slash. When she gauged the reactions of the Nightmyres, their ferocious expression dimmed. In the brief flash of lightning, the Nightmyres almost appeared human. Almost.

Sairento dashed at a group of five Nightmyres; the creatures prepared to engage. She sensed a large withered tree in her path. Sairento pulled the tree down, causing it to fall on the group, killing the three of the Nightmyres. The remaining two leapt forward, evading the impact and making it easy for Sairento to cut them while airborne.

Sairento’s song soon played louder than the chaotic noise that she heard upon stepping on Jotoi. The Nightmyres stepped back, retreating into the darkness of the forest. Sairento was appalled. She did not turn tail and run like a coward when she was outnumbered. Hell, they still outnumbered, but they ran from their future. Except for one.

The Nightmyre that emerged from the darkness resembled the two Darth Assul killed. It charged at Sairento, attacking with a jump slash. She easily evaded the attack. The Force was with her this day. The Dark Side coursed through her.

Sairento launched the remnant of the tree at the bulking Nightmyre. It slid under the tree, learning from the mistakes of its comrades. Sairento’s sabers clashed with the Nightmyre. Had this one appeared earlier when Sairento was withheld by her fear, it could have defeated her. But that it can’t, not with those sloppy attacks.

Sairento stepped back, preparing to use Force Push. Instead something else happened. Something more powerful.

Lightning surged from her fingers, crippling the Nightmyres. Sairento could feel everything. The Force. The power. The life dwindling from the Nightmyre. The sight of the Nightmyre writhing and suffering was… pleasant to say the least. The Nightmyre left behind a charred corpse upon dying.

Darth Assul walked in front of her, observing the display of Sairento’s power. “Well done, Sairento, you may ease yourself. The Nightmyres of Jotoi will trouble neither of us. Not after the lesson we taught them.” 

“Master, what was the purpose of this?” Sairento sneered, taking regulated breaths. “There was no reason for us to come to this forsaken rock.”

“There was reason, and we have achieved its purpose. Let us go,” he said, walking into the direction where they landed.

“What!” Sairento yelled, “You take me to a planet full of death, then you say it’s time for us to leave. Plus, you won’t even tell me!”

Sairento lifted in the air as if she was held by her throat. Struggling, gasping for air. Darth Assul walked towards her, “What I do and do not tell you is pointless, my daughter. I gave you a simple task, and you surpassed my expectations once more. I am proud of how you grew, but do not let that power delude you. Understand?”

Sairento nodded.

“Good.” Assul released her from his grasp, heading back to the ship. Sairento followed – maintaining a distance – and struggled to stop coughing. Assul marched on with pride. The sight of his daughter’s new golden eyes has cemented her fall to the Dark Side.

\-----

A word often used to describe a Jedi is “warrior”. It is… not a completely inaccurate description of what a Jedi does, but it does not match the mantra of the Order. Jedi are protectors of the galaxy and servants to the Force. A Jedi does not initiate conflict; they end it.

Master Vontas and Jazza Khol are on a rescue mission for the Galactic Republic, searching for an informant named Hem Bro’sa. The informant is reported to have an extensive knowledge of the underground network run by the Hutt Clan, a dangerous crime family. 

Bro’sa was last sighted in the custody of the Red Rift – a group of bounty hunters under the employment of Esto the Hutt. Master Vontas and Jazza have tracked the group to the planet of Puitai, a highend society on the far side of the Outer Rim. The two Jedi have uncovered a trafficking outpost behind the Puitai Grand Casino. 

“Master, are you sure this is the best idea?” Jazza said, guarding the entrance to the control room.

“The best? Probably not, but the results will likely be the same,” Celsa said, observing the monitors. Images shifting to different locations of the casino. “Nothing, C-N01? Try searching for messages, vocal comms, or transmission mentioning the name Hem Bro’sa.”

The slicer droid beeped and booped. A trove of files emerged onto the screen. Master Vontas pointed at the top right monitor. “There. Enlarge, C-N01.” C-N01 complied, expanding the message.

The message read:

“Master Esto, I am pleased to inform you that the Red Rift has captured the rat within our pipeline. We hold him, confined from prying eyes; the Red Rift will continue transportation within a day’s time of this message being sent. I hope this news pleases you greatly.”

Master Vontas looks at the galactic clock on the monitor, “We only have two hours. C-N01, you did good. Send a copy to the galactic server on Coruscant before you return to the ship and send an alert to the authorities of the city.” The slicer droid beeped happily.

Master Vontas headed out the door while Jazza followed behind. “Where are we going?” Jazza asked in a close whisper. Regardless of how loud the casino was, Jazza knew to be wary of eavesdroppers. 

“We are going to the V.I.P section, Jazza.” They approached an elevator, guarded by a suspicious person.

The guard held up his arm, “Hold it. This area is off-limits. Personnel only.”

Master Celsa raised her, “We are authorized personnel.”

The guard resisted, “You… you don’t – “ 

“We are authorized personnel.”

“You… you are authorized personnel.”

“You will let us, AND you will tell us where the rat is being stored.”

“Yes ma’am. Right this way.” The guard stepped aside, opening the elevator. Celsa and Jazza enter. “The rat is being held at sector D, cell number 66.”

“Thank you,” Master Celsa smiled, pressing the button as the elevator descended to sector D. That was the first time Jazza had seen the Jedi Mind Trick performed in person. 

“Master, I understand how we’re getting in,” Jazza said.

“But…” Celsa interrupted.

“But how are we going to get the informant out of here? It’s kind of a crowd if you noticed.”

Master Celsa chuckled, “That is an interesting question. I do not have the answer so I guess all we can do is trust that Force will guide as it always has.”

The door opened. Fate seemed to have played its hand in favor of Jazza and his master, for the Red Rift moving Hem Bro’sa – who is frozen in carbonite.

The Red Rift – consisting of 5 bounty hunters – raised their blaster. They recognized Master Celsa and Jazza were Jedi, but still, they were still too slow as Celsa pushed the Rift back before a single shot could be made.

“Jazza, bring the informant into the elevator!” she commanded. The Padawan, quick in response, dragged the heavy casing of carbonite towards the elevator while his master deflected the barrage of lasers. This was the first time Jazza saw his master in combat. In real combat.

He has spared against her numerous times, but this was different. Her moves were fluid, flawless. Jazza could sense the night and day difference in their skills. The blasters came upon her like rain during a heavy storm, and yet, she remained untouched and composed.

“Master! I have him in.” Jazza yelled. His hand hovered over the button ascending to the main floor. Master Celsa pulled a canister hanging on the wall, throwing in the path of a blaster. The cannister erupted, filling the floor with smoke. Celsa enters the elevator as the door closes.

The elevator began its ascent. “Jazza help me unfreeze him,” Celsa said, kneeling down on one side of Hem’s encasing. Jazza knelt, looking at a 3x3 panel of buttons. Three buttons remained lit while the others stayed dim. “Press all three glowing buttons on my mark. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, three, two, one. Now!” The two pressed the buttons, releasing the informant from his imprisonment. Hem Bro’sa fell to the floor, shivering and frightened.

Master Celsa knelt down, comforting the informant. “Relax. We are Jedi sent by the Republic to rescue you.”

“Y… you…” Bro’sa said; his voice weak and broken.

The communicator activated, relaying a message from C-N01. The message translated to, “Master Vontas and Padawan Khol, the authorities are present, stationed outside the casino. But it seems that the Hutt’s men are aware of your presence. Caution is advised.”

“It seems our exit will be louder than our entrance,” Celsa remarked.

Hem Bro’sa grabbed Celsa’s hand, placing something in her hands. A chip or drive of some kind. “Y… you’ll need this,” the informant said. The Force faded from his body; Hem Bro’sa has returned to the Cosmic Force.

“The carbonite shouldn’t have killed him,” Jazza said, closing Hem’s eyes. 

“It didn’t,” Master Celsa stood, storing the chip inside her robe. “The Red Rift most likely tortured the poor man, trying to learn whatever information he had.”

The door opened to chaos. Civilians rushing in a panic, forces of Esto’s men breaking through the crowd. Jazza and Celsa were unnoticed for now. 

Master Vontas burst out of the elevator, heading into the crowd. “Let’s go! Into the crowd,” his master commanded. Jazza nodded, following her like a shadow in an open field under the sun. 

The casino swarmed with Hutt’s men, but among the chaos and disorder, the two Jedi were ghosts. The will of the Force was apparent to Jazza. A battle would not take place here; only one death was the cost for this mission.

Jazza and Master Vontas made it out of the casino, passing by as the Puitain police force stormed the casino.

“I hope whatever is on that chip is worth all this,” Jazza said, “We will just have to find out later.”

Master Vontas reaches into her robe, pulling out the chip. She looks at the chip. She wondered what was so important about this chip that a man valued this over his own life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Bio: Jazza Khol  
> Male, Jedi- human (Korun) Jazza is a timid and diligent student. Always seeking to learn more of the Force each passing day. He has a special bond with Master Celsa, something the council is cautious of, but he has proven able to live by the Jedi Code. He is a prominent user of Form III (Soresu) and V (Shien/Djem So).


	6. Rising Action

Darth Assul had traveled to a cesspit of vileness and treachery. Esto’s palace is synonymous with the gravity of a black hole. Once in its pull, escaping seems to be wishful. That would apply to anyone else in the galaxy, but Darth Assul is no normal being.

The dark lord walked in the main chamber, alone. Sairento’s temperament has been curt since she had fully given herself to the Darkside, but all Assul ever did in response is remind her of where she stands. The dark lord still believed that it was best that 

Twi’lek dancers, spice smugglers, and other of the galaxy’s unwanted sort stare as Assul passes through. Their eyes casting whatever judgement they have when they’ve seen his Mandalorian helmet. Assul ignored them. The only person within his sight however, is the gargantuan slug laid across on his lavish bed, surrounded by fanners and consorts and a droid.

Esto speaks in that incorrigible native tongue of his that was dubbed Huttese. The droid translates, “What brings a Sith Lord to my home?”

“Is my gift finally ready, Esto?”

Esto snorted and laughed. The people in the room echoed his laughter; their voices thundering, shaking the lanterns hovering overhead.

The droid translated, “Ah, Assul, forever bold. Do you believe that I have been slacking on my end of our bargain?”

In truth? Yes, that is precisely what Assul believes, but he had no desire for a fight, not today at least. It would be harder leaving than it was entering. Though Assul knows that he is more than capable.

“No,” Assul lied, “but I have not been updated on the status of how the search has been faring.”

“Maybe you should practice patience like the Jedi.” The room erupted in laughter. Each chuckle and giggling fool reached Assul’s ears clearly. Even though who stood in the shadows revealed themselves as they laughed their hearts out.

Esto waved over a cupbearer, holding out his glass. The glass shattered as the cupbearer started to pour. Other glasses shattered, echoing the sound of glass falling to the floor.

“Excuse me, Lord Esto,” Assul said, “I have not been consistent in my training. As you can see, I lack patience.”

Over a dozen blasters clicked, armed and pointed at Darth Assul.

Esto raised his hand. “Do you know how hard it is to replace those?”

Assul contemplated, humming in thought. “About as hard as it is to replace good men?” he responded.

The chamber fell silent. Assul could feel the fear like a dense fog. Tension choking at the throat, smothering the beating of one’s own heart. 

Esto’s palace – a safe haven for the vile and treacherous – could turn into a battleground. A slaughterhouse. All Assul needed to do was draw his saber.

The slug responded. Laughter. Esto bellowed a hearty deep laugh. Soon after, the others laughed as well, but the hesitance in theirs was apparent.

“The boldness of you Sith is pure entertainment. Truly. I shall let you know that I have gathered nearly all of your intended demand.

“I do not know how you Sith and Jedi find them so easily.”

Assul chuckled, “The Force, my friend. You have done right by me and my master, and you have gathered more than enough. I will collect my due and call our deal even.”

Esto nodded, “I see. I stationed them within a trading station within the Outer Rim. The Red Rift will be there to oversee the transaction.”

“Red Rift?” Assul questioned, “Why are they needed?”

“Recently, a rat has been discovered in our networks,” the slug clicked and shrilled with annoyance.

“Will he be a problem?”

Esto shook, “No, he has – as you say – ‘returned to the Force’.”

“I see.”

“Still, it was reported that the ones who sought to rescue him were Jedi.”

Assul gathered a long and ragged breath. 

Esto continued, “I am certain that you are more than capable of handling whatever complications will arise.”

“Yes,” Assul said in low growl, “I am.” Assul left the main chamber, not an utterance of goodbye or farewell. There were no words for this dark lord. Only thoughts of dead Jedi lying at his feet.

\-----

On Coruscant, the Council of the Jedi Order gather to discuss a shocking revelation of the chip Hem Bro’sa died to deliver. One hundred. That is the number of Force-sensitive children held in the captivity of Esto the Hutt. Bro’sa reported gazing upon dozens of files mentioning the names of children – and infants – who been gathered for a person named “Assul”.

“We should take action immediately,” Master Celsa said. After discovering the contents of the chip, Master Vontas has been an advocate towards forming a rescue squadron. “If we let this Assul receive all these children, a tragedy may befall the galaxy.”

“Master Vontas, I understand your stance on the situation,” one of the Masters said. “Given your history. But we cannot go about this recklessly.”

The councils nodded in unison.

“Agree. The files Hem Bro’sa brought forth valuable information, but the members of the Republic have voiced their concerns of validity. Mentioning that an incursion may conflict with the Republic’s jurisdiction on the Outer Rim.”

“Conflict?” Celsa questioned, “Did the Republic not agree to leave matters of the Force to the authority of the Jedi? Their words should have no weight on a subject, such as this!”

“Calm,” the Grandmaster said in his docile yet stern manner. “I can feel the anger within you. This… is a crucial moment. If we action without thought, we may head into a trap that will mark our undoing. Regardless of the Republic’s approval or not, we must diagnose the potential risk.”

“Risk?” Celsa sneered, “Grandmaster, these are children we are talking about. Not a weapon manufacturer we are speaking about, but children – who may as well be younger than our Padawans. We are not the ones at risk. They are.”

The Council fell silent, stunned by Celsa’s rare outburst. She could sense it. The Masters would not yield on their stance. Even if the few that wished to rescue those frightened children, the council would have to be sanctioned by the Republic.

When did the Jedi become this way? The Jedi were meant to be followers of the Force’s will, not the Republic’s. The politics and schemes of a governing body were supposed to be beneath what the Jedi stood for.

Celsa receded. “I apologize for my… behavior. I know that you all wish to help these children, just as much as I do, and I understand that we cannot waste this opportunity. The Hutt clan or this Assul may have measures taken to defer our involvement.”

The Council nodded.

The Masters dismiss, concluding the meeting. One by one the masters exit the room.

“Celsa,” the Grandmaster calls her. He gestures to her, advising for her to take a seat next to him.

“Master.”

“I can tell that you are not pleased with how things have transpired.”

“I am sure that was clear enough,” she said, reflecting on her previous outburst. A thing she had trained diligently on controlling through mediation.

“Yes. The only advice I can give you on the situation is to follow the will of the Force.”

Celsa hesitated, “But how can I be sure that it is not my own will that I am listening to.”

The Grandmaster smiled, standing from his chair. “Trust in the Force and all will be clear.”

The Grandmaster left the room. Celsa contemplated his words. Searching within her and with the Force for the right answer. The correct answer. The only answer that saves those children.

“I must go myself,” she said standing. Celsa left the room, searching for her Padawan, Jazza Khol. He had mentioned that he remembered the coordinates of the transport station where those children.

For all the certainty Master Vontas had, she still had one concern. Jazza would not stand idly by as Celsa rushed into the jaws of a Rancor; he would demand to accompany her. All Celsa hoped was that no harm would come to her Padawan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Bio: Sairento Tacet  
> Female, Sith- Zabrak Sairento is plagued by the conflict in her heart. Though strong in the Force, she struggles to channel her emotions to her strength. She sees Darth Assul as a father figure and even calls him “father”. She has emotional attachment to Darth Assul; never seeking to disappoint him. Prominent user of IV (Ataru) and Dual-Lightsabers (Jar Kai).


End file.
